Hello from Mike Night!

Wow, it has been awhile since I have written anything in terms of a review! Life, let me tell you… It really gets in the way of the things that you just want to do for fun. I first started reviewing as a creative outlet, just wanting to put my thoughts into a word processor so I would keep up my mediocre writing ability. But I never stopped reviewing movies, and the sore ears of those I work with and love (sorry, Christine!) can attest to that. Some of my favorite conversations are the ones that revolve around movies. Thankfully, I have been inspired once again to take some time to write my thoughts down instead of solely talking people’s ears off. Cinemia has really helped me do that.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I’m Michael Night, or Mike for short. I won’t give you my entire life story, but I will give you some highlights: I have a degree in broadcasting from Grand Valley State University, I have a twin brother, and two other older ones, a loving family, an amazing girlfriend, and I have always been a lover of movies. My other hobbies include video games (Nintendo and PS4, by the way), pro wrestling (where my pseudonym came from), hockey (Let’s go Red Wings!), football (Did you know?: I worked for the Detroit Lions for a season!), and binge-watching television shows (Grey’s Anatomy is one of my favorites, believe it or not).

When it came to watching movies when I was younger I had primarily watched low-grade comedies and animated films. That continued into my teenage years with the introduction of the first wave of movies based on comic books, Pokémon, and once again, bottom-tier comedies. (Let me be clear though, I still love all of those things!)

But then one day while watching one of the aforementioned types of movies, my oldest brother (one of my largest inspirations) came into the room, rolled his eyes, and left. Not ten minutes later he returned with five movies in his hand and said “Watch these. When you’re done—Come back for five more.”

American Beauty. Big Fish. Dr. Strangelove. Election. Se7en.

Those were the first five movies that really bred my desire to be an educated movie-watcher. It might not seem like a big deal– all sorts of people watch all sorts of movies all the time. But it opened my mind up to be more analytical, and to be more critical. It created one of my favorite hobbies now! I don’t just watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe like I may have before this transition. Now I look forward to the Academy Awards every year so I can watch those movies that are critically acclaimed as well. Now I have watched nearly 900 movies (yes, I do keep track of that number) and have over 160 in my collection (also kept track of…), and by no means do I think that is a big number. But for me, that is quite an achievement.

And yet despite that large number there are still a lot of films that I have not seen; Classics and fan-favorites that make people ask me “How have you not watched that one yet?!” That was how Cinemia was born. J.S. Delisi had the idea actually, and he approached me about doing a podcast based on that very idea. He had asked me that very same question when I told him I had never watched Goodfellas. Now we have five episodes in the bank, alternating on whose library we need to fill out next. Cinemia: The podcast for those with a cinema deficiency! So now I get to watch movies and talk about them as well as write my thoughts down again. So prepare to see a lot more of me, because if this goes well and my writing does not put people to sleep, I really want to continue doing it.

The actual reviews and articles are coming, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I thought this would be a great way to introduce myself and to give you a little insight as to what makes Michael Night tick. I hope that all of you find some enjoyment in what J.S. and I have to say!

Oh, and one other thing when it comes to my reviews, both here and on the podcast: They’re just my views! I decided long ago that I wouldn’t let critics tell me what was a good movie and what wasn’t. I always tell people to form their own opinions. I decided to watch Twilight because I wouldn’t just agree with everyone that said it was awful. I mean… it wasn’t very good, but I came to that conclusion on my own. So have some fun, debate if you would like, and keep watching movies!